Learning Spaces - Amazon Web Services

Learning Spaces

Design principlecards

: Jasper van Winden, Version 0.3,1

Learning Spaces Design Principle CardsThese design principle cards are meant to inspire conversations and discussions about learning spaces for higher education. They can also help with the intentional design of learning spaces, aiding institutions to move away from the ‘let’s do it as we’ve always done it’ pitfall.

The starting point for these cards was the observation that the behaviour of students and teachers is influenced by the space. Spaces communicate expectations of preferred behaviour quite clearly. Look at a traditional lecture hall. What are you expected to do? For students and the teacher alike, that is pretty obvious.

Spaces can also obstruct or enable preferred behaviours. Ever tried to help a student with an exercise, when he or she sits in the middle of a row?

With these design principle cards we have tried to create an easy-to-use-instrument that helps us to use the power of learning spaces for the good: nudging our teachers and students towards active teaching and learning.

Learning Spaces



Who can use these cards?These cards can be used on different levels. Whether you are a teacher that wants to know how to use a flexible learning space, or you work at the real estates department and are responsible for a new learning spaces concept of your institution.

How to use these cards?When using these principles, you might notice that some of them are direct opposites. As a consequence, you can never apply all design principles to your learning space. No sweat. You are not meant to.

First of all, you will work on only one type of learning space at a time. So before you start, choose what type of learning space you will be working on. What kind of activities will take place there?

Share this with (a) partner(s) outside of your programme or institution and talk about the context of the teaching and learning and the most important didactical elements.

Start with PerspectiveWhen you start, first select only the yellow Perspective cards. Depending on how much time you have, you can choose to work on just one, two, or maybe all available perspectives. Select all cards that belong to the chosen perspectives and set the rest aside.

Learning Spaces



ObjectiveWhen you flip your selected perspective cards, you see severalobjectives, all in different colours. Select two to three objectives andput them in front of you. Set the rest aside.

PrinciplesNow, select from the deck of principle cards, all cards that have thesame colour as the selected objectives and read the principlescarefully.

These principles are short and abstract. This has been done in order to be able to generate multiple ideas. If you need a little help withthis, you can look at the backside of the card where some examplesare given. Now, select three principles that are important for yourlearning space and hand them over to your partner.

Rapid prototypingYour partner(s) will use LEGO or another fast 3D visualiser toproduce a prototype of your learning space in approximately 10 minutes.

Afterwards: discuss the intentions of this design. If more designs have been made: what elements work best and can you combine them?

Perspective

The student

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Objective

Students feel safe and comfortable.

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Principle

ObjectiveStudents feel safe and comfortable.

: Jasper van Winden, A1

Increase the informality of the space.

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Examples

PrincipleIncrease the informality of the space.


• Apply homey decorations.• Make use of colours.• Apply soft surfaces, such as couches and

pillows.• Apply low furniture, such as coffee tables

and tuffets.

Food for thought: what makes coffee bars such popular places?

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Principle



Promote autonomy in the space.

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Examples

PrinciplePromote autonomy in the space.


• Allow students to alter the learning space: move furniture around, apply decorations.

• Use a pin-up board where students can show their learning process during the course.

• Allow student groups to mark their group table with a logo or mascot.

• Provide different types of furniture, so that students can choose where to work.

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Principle



Increase the predictability of the

environment.

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Examples

PrincipleIncrease the predictability of the environment.


• Limit the number of learning spaces you use to only one or two.

• Give each student their own seat in the classroom.

• Make sure that the room lay out already gives information about the learning activities that will take place.

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Perspective

The student


Objective

Students feel active.

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Principle

ObjectiveStudents feel active.

B1

Promote movement.


Examples

PrinciplePromote movement.

: Jasper van Winden, B1

• Make use of the station rotation model: Different learning activities take place simultaneously at different ‘stations’ in the room. Students rotate through the stations.

• Give students enough space to move around.• Use high working surfaces, so that students

can work standing, providing more freedom to move.

• Distribute materials and facilities in the space, so that students need to walk to get to them.

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Principle


B2

Promote active body postures.


Examples

PrinciplePromote active body postures.


• Let students stand up, ie by using sit-to-stand tables.

• Make use of stools and high chairs.• Make use of chairs with upright backrests.• Make use of chairs, stools of tuffets without

backrest.

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Principle


B3

Promote variations.


Examples

PrinciplePromote variation.


• Apply furniture that allows students to vary their body posture (sitting, standing, walking).

• Apply furniture that allows varying between learning activities with a focus on interactions with the teacher, fellow students, the content and outside of the classroom.

• Make use of the station rotation model with different types of furniture and learning activities in each corner of the room.

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Principle


B4

Promote curiosity towards the learning

activities.


Examples

PrinciplePromote curiosity towards the learning activities.


• Put supporting materials on display that students will need for the learning activities.

• Put content on display for which the link with the subject matter is not yet obvious.

• Put the furniture in an unexpected lay-out.

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Perspective

Student – Teacher Interaction


Objective

Student – teacher eye contact.

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Principle

ObjectiveStudent-teacher eye contact.

C1

Decrease the distance between each student and

the teacher.


Examples

PrincipleDecrease the distance between each student and the teacher..

: Jasper van Winden, C1

• The teacher operates from the middle of the room.

• Shorten the depth of the desk surfaces.• Shorten the depth of the ‘teacher arena’.• Use a ‘landscape’ orientation of the room,

instead of a ‘portrait’ orientation, so that the space is wider than it is long.

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Principle


C2

Decrease the obstacle surface between student

and teacher.


Examples

PrincipleDecrease the obstacle surface between student and teacher.

.


• Remove all obstacles.• Turn screens in a computerroom 90 degrees

during teacher instruction.• Make sure that room dividers, whiteboards and

flipovers do not block the teacher’s view at the students.

• Make use of horizontal displays, i.e. tablets instead of laptops.

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Principle


C3

Make it easy for the student and teacher to

face each other.


Examples

PrincipleDecrease the obstacle surface between student and teacher.

.


• Students and teacher are facing each other by default.

• Use swivel chairs.• Use chairs on wheels.

Food for thought: what is within reach for the student when he can turn a 360 degrees? What is not?

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Perspective

Student – Teacher Interaction


Objective

Student-teacher conversation.

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Principle

ObjectiveStudent-teacher conversation.

D1

Provide better access to the student for the teacher.


Examples

PrincipleProvide better access to the student for the teacher.

.

: Jasper van Winden, D1

• Add extra corridors between tables.• Provide enough walking space behind the

tables.• Make use of an ‘open’ room lay out.

Food for thought: How much time does it take you to reach anyone in class? When do you make the effort and when do you stop bothering? What’s your threshold value?

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Principle

ObjectiveStudent-teacher conversation.

D2

Increase the teacher’s view of what each student is

working on.


Examples

PrincipleIncrease the teacher’s view of what each student is working on.

. : Jasper van Winden, D2

• Make student’s work visible on a big screen, or a whiteboard.

• Make the student’s work visible on an online platform that can be viewed by the teacher.

Food for thought: What triggers you to give feedback during a class?

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Perspective

Student – Content Interaction


Objective

Student annotates, manipulates or creates products in relation to the

subject matter.

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Principle

ObjectiveStudent annotates, manipulates or creates products in relation to the subject matter.

Increase the visibility of assignments and learning

content.

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Examples

PrincipleIncrease the visibility of assignments and learning content.

.

• Decrease the distance between students and screens that can be used to display assignments and learning content.

• Increase screen sizes that can be used to display assignments and learning content.

• Use multiple displays to show complementary information.

• Let students bring their own device to view assignments and learning content.

• Make use of VR or AR technology to enhance the visibility of the content.


Principle


Increase access to physical and/or digital working materials for students.


Examples

PrincipleIncrease access to physical and/or digital working materials for students.

• Increase access to power sockets for students.• Provide multiple surfaces for students to work

on.• Provide a storage with crafting materials

(paper, markers, cardboard, play-dough, LEGO) in the space.

• Let students bring their own devices.


Principle


Minimise distractions.


Examples

PrincipleMinimise distractions.

.

• Create ambient (visual and aural) noise.• Create an internet deadzone.• Increase the distance between students.• Decrease visual distractions by intentionaly

aiming direction of sight.• Decrease aural distractions by using acoustic

panels.• Provide or allow headphones in class.• Provide quiet places to work by yourself in the

classroom.


Perspective

Student – Fellow studentsInteraction


S

Objective

Students have a group discussion.

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Principle

Make it easy for students to face each other.

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ObjectiveStudents have a groupdiscussion.

Examples

PrincipleMake it easy for students to face each other.

• Students are facing each other by default (group tables).

• Use swivel chairs.• Use chairs on wheels.

Food for thought: what (other) focal points do you want your student to have during class? And when they look at one of them, can they do what they need to do? (ie taking notes, looking at complementary information, interact.)

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Principle

Separate student groupsfrom each other.



Examples

PrincipleSeperate student groups from each other.

• Use seperate group tables.• Provide each group with its own project room.• Use room dividers.

Food for thought: how and when does the exchange of information, thoughts and ideas between groups take place?


Principle

Promote intelligibility when someone is talking.



Examples

PrinciplePromote intelligibility when someone is talking.

• Make use of microphones and speakers.• Install acoustic panels.• Decrease talking distance within one

interaction group.


Principle

Promote non-verbal communication.



Examples

PrinciplePromote non-verbal communication.

• Remove all barriers (ie tables) to make body language better visible.

• Make use of soapboxes for students when they speak.

• Decrease talking distance within one interaction group.


Principle

Provide all students with an equivalent position in

the interaction group.



Examples

PrincipleProvide all students with an equivalent position in the interaction group..

• Sit or stand in a circle.• Use a ‘campfire’ layout; students positioned

around low displays that are visible for everyone.

Food for thought: would you like the teacher to also have an equivalent position when he or she joins the group?


Principle

Minimise distractions from the group discussion.



Examples

PrincipleMinimise distractions from the group discussion.

• Enable the teacher to easily remove or turn off the display of non-relevant information.

• Do not provide tables or other surfaces to keep books, phones, laptops and other non-relevant materials.

• Provide lockable storage with power for students to leave (and charge) their phones.


Principle

Enable collaborative thinking.



Examples

PrincipleEnable collaborative thinking.

• Provide student groups with large working surfaces, such as white boards, white board foils, touch screens, flipovers or writable tables.

• Provide student groups with materials that can be used for rapid 3D prototyping, such as play dough, LEGO, et cetera.


Perspective

Student – Outside worldInteraction


S

Objective

Students learn from the real world.

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Principle

Bring the outside in.

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ObjectiveStudents learn from the real world.

Examples

PrincipleBring the outside in.

• Use video conferencing for bringing in experts from outside.

• Use hybrid active learning classroom technologies to enable students to co-operate with partners outside of the classroom.

• Make use of public university spaces: botanical gardens, libraries.

• Organise learning activities at lobby’s or entrance halls and make them accessible for people passing by.


Principle

Take the class outside.


ObjectiveStudents learn from the real world.

Examples

PrincipleTake the class outside.

• Organise a class on a (professional) location relevant for the topic.

• Let students interact with Utrecht’s citizens during class.

• Organise a working space for students at the office of a project’s commissioner.

• Make use of outdoor facilities, such as green zones or outside stairs.


Perspective

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Objective

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Principle

Objective

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Examples

Principle

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